Gardening tips on oleander leaf scorch

Q - A landscape maintenance company came to my yard and said my oleanders have oleander leaf scorch, or sharpshooter virus. They said it could be treated for $1,800. Does this sound right?

A - Oleander leaf scorch is a bacterial disease deadly to oleanders, explains Cathy Rymer, certified arborist and city of Chandler water conservation coordinator. It is transmitted by sharpshooter insects, which use piercing mouthparts to sip fluid from leaf cells. In the process, bacteria are transferred from plant to plant. The symptoms of this disease can easily be confused with salt burn and water stress, and only a laboratory can positively identify this disease. There is no control. Infected plants should be removed as soon as possible. Find details and photos from University of Arizona Extension Plant Pathology at ag.arizona.edu/plp/plpext/diseases/trees/oleander/oleleaf.htm and University of CaliforniaIPM at ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7480.html.